Trips and tours abroad may seem glamorous and exciting, but a robust tour itinerary can quickly become taxing. In order to survive the adventure overseas, a bit of physical fitness will help. Consider your upcoming itinerary and the activities lined up along your tour.

My wife won't consider OAT because of the horrible comments they get about their customer service. (Folks generally seem to like the trips, though.)We like to feel like we're experiencing the countries we visit, so we're not crazy about the 4-5 star hotels, waste-0f-time 'factory' visits that are primarily there to garner commissions for the travel company, or relatively sedentary trips that seem to focus on getting you to your next fancy meal.We're talking about going to S. Africa on our next trip, but would like to find a tour company that also offers trips to other continents.So: smaller, local hotels; relatively active itineraries; most side trips and meals included; insight into local culture (not tourist traps and shopping).Any suggestions? Ron;A travel company we have used that you should check is Adventures Abroad. They have numerous world wide tours with a variety of options.

We did a Southern African tour with them and it was fabulous. It included safari experiences in game parks, coastal drive of South Africa, wine regions and major centres as Cape Town as well as covering sections of Botswana Zambia, Swaziland and Victoria Falls. Our tour guide was excellent and his knowledge and professional approach enhanced our experience.We also enjoy that they never take more than 21 on a tour ( they go to locations with much smaller numbers ), do not take you to tourist shopping traps and include all breakfasts and dinners. Their price includes all entrance fees and tips for local guides which they use to gain further insight to areas traveled.

Accomodations are very comfortable and give you a feel for the country you are in.We went to Kenya and Tanzania for the second time this October with them and had another great experince. They can also arrange a customized tour as we had a great tenting experience for ourselves added at the end of the group tour into the Western Serengeti.We have travelled to South America, India, South East Asia and the Middle East, as well as Africa with them. Many of our friends also use them.Look at their web site to see some great tours they have to offer.Cheers Doug. I would also recommend having a look at Road Scholar.

They have renamed their activity levels for the programs from a number system to: Easy, Moderate, Active, Moderately Challenging, and Challenging. So you could get the workout you are looking for.The overseas programs I have taken would fit the Moderately Challenging level, hotels are generally 3., 95% of side trips (excursions) and meals are included, their location coordinators and presenters are generally excellent. (They are all about educational travel.) They are not perfect, of course, but the pros far outweigh the cons. As far as participants go, they will run a program if they meet their minimum registration and sometimes just below minimum. Maximum numbers can range. I've been overseas with 21 to Scandinavia and 36 to NZ and Oz. I had no problem with this at all.I have a friend who does Adventures Abroad and swears by them.

She has about 15 friends who travel together and after many years has got to the point where they submit their travel requests and have a trip designed for them. It's small group and she goes once a year. Edited: 8 years ago. Just got back from a trip to SA that I planned myself and which we conducted independently.

Do consider that alternative to a tour. We spent four days in Cape Town, one day/night in the Winelands, three days in Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route (self-drive from the last day in Cape Town on). Then we drove to Port Elizabeth, flew to Jo'burg, and from there headed to Kruger. I did all booking online (using Trip Advisor for lots of good ideas). After Kruger, we returned to Jo'burg and from there headed to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (fabulous!). Along we way, we watched many people herded in groups, unable to stop and enjoy what they liked or ignore what they didn't (like stops at shops, etc.).

This is definitely a destination you can plan to visit and navigate easily on your own. I have traveled to Europe many times with Road Scholar and Adventures Abroad and enthusiastically recommend both companies. Don't know how the tours outside Europe compare. On my trips, the tour guides have always been great, the groups are usually well-traveled 'young senior' folks with very few complainers, and the prices seem comparable. So I select between the two based on the itinerary.

I would give a slight advantage to Road Scholar for variety of tours offered to popular European countries (e.g., Road Scholar may have 15 in-depth itineraries to France compared with 1 or 2 for Adventures Abroad). Road Scholar also seems to have more guaranteed departures. In addition, Road Scholar trips include classroom lectures. Most of these are well prepared but sometimes difficult to sit through when the sun is shining and you want to be outside exploring.Hotels are comparable.

To save costs, both companies often chose hotel sites somewhat distant from the city center. Adventures Abroad seems to have smaller groups.

I prefer the Adventures Abroad meal arrangement, which always includes breakfast in the hotel and dinner. The dinners are almost always in a local restaurant rather than dreary hotel food. Lunch is on your own.

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Anno 2070 carbon production chain. Road Scholar usually includes most meals, but dinners are generally in the hotel, and lunch can be a long, drawn-out affair that takes time away from sightseeing.My only complaint is that the arrangements are sometimes problematic with both companies (e.g., circuitous routings, not enough time between connections). Check your carefully.

DougI looked at your post from months ago as we are booked with Adventures Abroad to Kenya & Tanzania including Zanzibar Feb. Of 2013.Did you book your own air arrangements or use AA to do it?

I have made no decisions yet, but do see that making my own would be cost effective.We winter in Florida, so need to Nairobi from Miami on BAirways or out of Washington using Ethiopian.What did you use from Canada?Did you fly into NBO early?Did you use AA's transfers to the hotel or make your own way to the hotel?Thank you Edited: 7 years ago. Does it have to be a group tour?What you are looking for would seem to be better accomplished as an independent traveller.My trip to Zambia this March was organised by Tribes Travel who go to lots of interesting places.I met one of the owners at the January 2012 Destinations show in London and when I explained that I was put off going on safari by the cost and the crowds, she suggested Zambia in the wet season. It was brilliant, half the cost I had been quoted by another company for a high season trip and two of the lodges where I stayed had only two other travellers (I was solo) and one had maybe half a dozen. The food was wonderful, the animals abundant and glossy and the organisation excellent.I also found them very responsive to questions and concerns.Edited: 7 years ago.